Today a microwave oven user sometimes wants a microwave oven having a so-called delay start function. This function allows a microwave oven to start cooking a food that is in the oven a certain time after a start key is pressed.
However, in conventional microwave ovens, the delay start function pauses when a user opens a door of the microwave oven to check the food. To re-start the delay start function of the prior art, the user has to close the door and re-press a start key.
Therefore, if the user opens the door to check the food and closes the door, but unconsciously fails to re-press the start key, the delay start function does not work.
Consequently, the food remains uncooked because cooking did not start.